BBL 14: Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers Cricket Betting Tips & Betting Offers
Will Jackson
After a nightmare start, losing their first five matches, Melbourne Stars have won their last two. Now the real acid test comes because the Sydney Sixers have started well as Graham Hardcastle provides his latest BBL cricket betting tips.
Can resurgent Stars down the pacesetting Sixers? You can follow our latest cricket tips plus the top cricket betting offers from the best betting sites.
- Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers
- KFC Big Bash League 14
- Thursday January 9, 2024, 8.15am UK
- Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers Cricket Betting Tips
Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers Preview
Despite back-to-back wins, Melbourne Stars have likely left themselves too much to do to qualify for the knockouts having lost five successive matches to start the campaign.
But I do think they’re a better side than those early results suggest, and they could put a spoke in a wheel or two before this competition comes to a close.
They look to have significant momentum, and I can see them overcoming a Sydney Sixers side whose own momentum has been checked somewhat after winning their first four matches.
That early form means a defeat to Hobart Hurricanes and a rained off game against Brisbane Heat on New Year’s Day and January 3 were no disaster. But they will be keen to get back on the horse as quickly as possible.
However, there may be some rust, and I’m going to take the Stars to win this one at 11/10 with Livescore Bet, amongst a host of firms.
Sixers’ superstar Steve Smith isn’t available to return following Australian Test duties until the weekend, but Beau Webster is back for the Stars.
Stars have six appeal
The MCG is not a massive six-hitting venue given it’s size. If you are going to hit a six as a batter, straight is the area to target as they’re the shortest boundaries.
But it does surprise me somewhat that the Stars are the outsiders when it comes to the Most Match Sixes market. They’re on offer at 13/10 with bet365, which I would be taking.
In this tournament, the Stars have hit 29 sixes in seven matches, while the Stars have hit 22 in five (their six fixture was washed out). Both are averaging just over four a match. So perhaps the odds should be more closely matched than 13/10 to 20/21. Look at betfair, for example, they have the Stars favourite on this market.
Ben Duckett brought us some success earlier in the tournament when backing him to score a fifty, and he has three of them in five appearances. At time of writing, he is amongst the tournament’s top five run-scorers with 202.
I see no reason to divert away from the England opener, who is 11/4 with betway to score a fifty in this match. He hit 68 in the reverse fixture, which the Stars lost, at the SCG late last month.
I like Unibet’s 3/1 on left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis to be Sydney’s top bowler in the match. He has taken 10 wickets in five matches and is bowling a lot of his overs at the death. That’s important, especially on a big ground when catching chances may be offered when the slog’s on.
And I will finish with a bet365 boosted treble, which is 11/2 for the Stars to win, for them to hit most sixes and for them to have the highest six-over total.
I’ve spoken about the Stars hitting most sixes and about Duckett success, so this punt makes sense.
Big Bash Betting Offers
Content on this site will contain reference to products or services from one or more of our advertisers or partners. We may receive compensation when you view ads or click on links to those products or services.
